- Dodge recalls 298,000 Dart compacts with faulty automatic transmissions.
- Transmission cable failure may cause loss of Park and vehicle rollaway.
- Cars urgently need a hardware upgrade but Dodge is still working on the fix.
If you thought recalls only happen to relatively new cars, think again. Dodge is recalling almost 300,000 vehicles in the US, some of them over a decade old, after safety regulators flagged a defect in the shifter cable on certain Dart models.
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The recall covers models built for the 2013-16 model years, but only those with the automatic transmission option. See? Going manual is the gift that keeps on giving, we’re tellin’ ya.
What’s Going On?
An investigation found the cable may detach from the transmission and prevent the gear‐selector from actually locking into Park, meaning the vehicle could roll away even when the driver thinks it’s safely immobilized.
Related: Should Dodge Make A 2027 Dart From The Peugeot 408?
To make the situation right Dodge needs to get all 298,439 of the affected compacts into its dealer shops, a place some of those Darts won’t have seen for years. In fact some of them might not have seen the inside of any shop for years.
Getting the recall work done will be like one of those Instagram videos where homeless people get a full glow-up.
The slight snag is that Dodge and parent company Stellantis are still working on the fix. And this isn’t their first rodeo. Dodge recalled 320,000 Darts in 2019 for the same problem and replaced worn transmission cable bushes.
However, after receiving reports of further incidents the NHTSA opened an investigation this summer. Until their cars have been updated, drivers are advised to apply the parking brake when leaving their Dart on any sort of incline and to confirm the gear selector is truly in Park.
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The Dart was discontinued in 2016, so we don’t waste many pixels on it these days, but it did merit an odd news story recently when Stellantis published its Q3 sales figures.
The data showed dealers had somehow sold six brand-new Darts between July and the end of September this year, cars that must have been hanging around storage compounds and dealer lots. I wonder if they’ve got any ’68 Hemi Chargers they also need to get rid of?
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